^""^  Ma?ch!^?2o:}    Suggestions  for  National  Formulary.  169 
The  following  process  based  upon  the  U.  S.  P.  assay  process  for 
Jalap  has  yielded  excellent  results: 
Assay  for  total  resins:  Sample  about  2.5  Gms.,  accurately 
weighed.  Place  the  sample  in  an  Erlenmeyer  flask;  add  75  Mils,  of 
95  per  cent,  alcohol  and  heat  on  steam  bath  for  four  hours,  using  a 
funnel  in  the  neck  of  the  flask  as  reflux  condenser.  Wash  into  a 
100  mil.  volumetric  flask,  cool,  dilute  to  100  Mils,  with  95  per  cent, 
alcohol,  mix  well,  filter  and  place  20  Mils,  of  the  filtrate  (equivalent 
to  of  the  sample  originally  weighed  out)  into  a  separator  and 
finish  like  Jalap  U.  S.  P. 
Standard:  Years  of  experience  has  shown  that  28  per  cent, 
total  resins  is  a  perfectly  satisfactory  standard,  is  practically  at- 
tainable, and  the  trade  is  familiar  with  the  therapeutic  strength  of  an 
extract  containing  this  percentage  of  total  resins. 
Extract  Podophyllum. Stsindsirdization  of  this  extract  is  to  be 
desired  in  order  to  establish  uniformity  in  market  supplies, 
The  following  method  has  yielded  satisfactory  results  for  pur- 
poses of  standardization,  but  it  does  not  yield  total  results  as  ex- 
plained below: 
Sample  about  2  Gms.,  accurately  weighed.  Boil  in  20  Mils,  of 
alcohol  until  dissolved.  Filter,  if  necessary.  Evaporate  the  fil- 
trate in  a  200  Mils,  beaker  to  the  consistency  of  a  thin  syrup.  Pour 
10  Mils,  of  ice  water,  containing  o.i  Mil.  of  concentrated  hydrochloi-ic 
acid  into  the  thin  syrupy  concentrate  and  stir  until  all  the  lumps 
of  resin  disintegrate.  Immediately  filter  off  the  precipitated  resin 
while  still  ice  cold  on  a  counterpoised  filter  using  suction,  and  wash 
the  beaker,  resin  and  filter  with  not  more  than  25  Mils,  of  ice  water. 
Dry  the  filter  and  resin  on  a  watch  glass  at  100°  C.  to  constant 
weight. 
This  assay  process  is  exactly  similar  to  the  U.  S.  P.  assay  method 
for  podophyllum,  with  the  exception  that  it  is  arranged  for  analy- 
tical procedure  instead  of  for  manufacturing  pcocedure,  and  the 
resin  is  finally  dried  at  100°  C.  instead  of  being  allowed  to  dry  spon- 
taneously. The  spontaneous  drying  of  this  resin  is  a  tedious  and 
needless  process,  since  air-dried  podophyllin  contains  only  around 
4  per  cent,  of  moisture  as  a  rule.  I  have  ascertained  this  by  de- 
termining the  moisture  in  many  commercial  lots  of  U.  S.  P.  resin 
podophyllin,  and  have  also  determined  it  by  permitting  resin  podo- 
phyllin obtained  upon  assay  of  this  extract  to  dry  spontaneously 
and  then  running  a  moisture  determination  on  it. 
